Index Archive

16 May 2013

In Depth IPL Match Fixing S. Sreesanth Ajit Chandila Ankeet Chavan arrested by Delhi Police
The breakthrough by the Special Cell was achieved following a tip-off that was developed by electronic surveillance expert Inspector Badrish Dutt, who was found dead along with his live-in partner at her Gurgaon residence on Saturday.

Over three dozen phone calls originating from Pakistan, Dubai, Mumbai, and Delhi were intercepted and analyzed for clues.

Delhi police had around 70 phones under surveillance during their probe into spot fixing in the IPL and were tracking messaging software like Whatsapp and Blackberry Messenger.

Today in a press conference Delhi police told the media in depth how the IPL matches were fixed and what the signals were or players used signs.

The Delhi police chief said that they had been surveying phones since April and had only found evidence of these three players being involved in taking money from bookies.

Delhi police kept the players under surveillance and the names of these three players came up.
Delhi police tapped their phones and kept watch on them and their conversations.

The Delhi police chief has told they have no evidence of Australian cricketer Shaun Tait being involved in this scandal.

Delhi Police explains the modus operandi. -

An agreement between the bookies and players that in a certain over they would give away a minimum number of runs.
Bookies gave them directions that they had to indicate that they are ready to give away those many runs.
Indications such as rotating their clock, using or putting towels normal things.

Kerala pacer S. Sreesanth and two other players of the Rajasthan Royals Indian Premier League team, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan have been arrested by the Delhi Police and charged with spot fixing in the on-going tournament.

What is spot fixing?
Spot fixing is the manipulation of a particular ball or wicket in a cricket tournament, which is then betted upon.

Two players were arrested at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai, where they were staying, and will be brought to Delhi to be produced in court
The Delhi police's special cell arrested Sreesanth from his friend's house in Mumbai

The police have also arrested 11 bookies regarding this.
The police have also arrested seven bookies in Mumbai and three bookies in Delhi in connection with the same case.
They are looking for two more bookies in Delhi.

The police tapped the telephones , even bbm and whats app messages were used and calles were routed through Pakistan.

The cricketers and bookies have been charged under sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code
Delhi police said that those arrested will be booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA).

Chandila, 29, has played for Haryana and the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL previously.
Chavan, 27, has played for Mumbai.

Explaining the modus operandi of the IPL spot-fixing racket, Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar said, "The agreement between the cricketers and the bookies was that in certain over they would give away a certain number of runs.

It was decided that they have to indicate that they are ready to give away those many runs through watches, clothes, and accessories

They had communicated that there would be indications by the players before a particular over to give the bookies an indication.

The indications that players had to give bookies included rotating their watches, putting towels in their pants.

First incident of spot fixing was spotted in the match between Pune Warriors and Rajasthan Royals, in Jaipur on 5th may 2013.
In this match, Chandila was supposed to give 14 runs in 2nd over.
He forgot to give the pre-planned signal as a result of which bookies could not bet.
This led to demands of Chandila having to return the money he had been paid as advance.
RR vs. PWI match in Jaipur IPL match was fixed
Ajit Chadila had to give away 14 runs in an over, but forgot to give indications. But he still gave 14 runs in the specific over in the RR vs PWI match in Jaipur.

The second time spot fixing took place was on May 9, 2013,
Kings XI Punjab vs RR.
Sreesanth was to put towel on his on trousers to give the bookies an indication.
First over as decided was fine. He did not put on any towel but as per fixing in his second over
He puts his towel in his pants and did some stretching exercises to give time to the bookies.

Jiju Janardhan was the conduit between the bookies and Sreesanth and the fast bowler had reportedly been paid Rs 40 lakh for fixing the over.

The third match fixed which was last night between Mumbai and Rajasthan in which Ankeet Chavan had been directed to be given 13 runs in his second over.
After giving 2 runs in his first over, he gave the required number of runs in the second over, Ankeet was reportedly offered Rs 60 lakh for giving the runs away,

Chandila motivated Ankeet Chavan through the day at the
Mumbai match.

It was decided that 14 runs would be given between Ankeet
and the bookies.

Chavan's over was fixed for Rs 60 lakh and the advance was
taken by Chandila who was not playing.

Spot fixing also happened at Wednesday's match at Mumbai
between RR and MI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals team mates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila

Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila and 11 other bookies arrested for alleged spot fixing were sent to five-day police custody by a chief metropolitan magistrate.The 14 arrested were sent to police custody till May 21.